Study Abroad in Canada

Many people choose to study abroad for the reason of career development for the future. When it comes to your careers, we have to decide on a university/college major. During the process of consulting the majority of international students, our UtoCanada education consultants have received questions such as: "Which majors are good or bad for girls to study in Canada?" To answer this question, many factors need to be considered. Therefore, we have specially written this article to discuss the question.

Factors girls should consider when choosing a major

As one of the popular countries for studying abroad, many parents favour Canada for its low crime rate and social stability. Parents with daughters, especially, are more concerned about personal safety. We have previously talked aboutwhat majors make immigration easier, when studying in Canada. We also wrote aboutthe top 10 majors and universities in Canada.Here, we will talk about what majors are suitable for girls studying in Canada.
In general, we recommend that girls studying in Canada consider the following factors when choosing a major:

》》 Personal interests and talent:

The old phrase "interest is the best teacher" is no longer used here.

If you get a job, you will gain experience. If your job is what you enjoy, it will make your life 10 times happier, and it will also give your life meaning because:

1) Going to work makes you happy;

2) Even after work, you still consciously study and try to improve yourself;

3) You are improving your professional skills faster than others, and your salary will also rise faster.

Therefore, it is best to choose the subject you are particularly interested in when deciding on a major to study. To conclude, life is very short. It is sad to spend 8 hours a day doing a job that you hate.

》》 Deciding whether to stay in Canada after graduation (try to choose a program with co-op):

If you know that you want to stay in Canada after graduation, the first thing you should consider when choosing a major is employment. Realistically, many international graduates in Canada will understand that employers actually value experience more than education. Therefore, a profession that provides co-op opportunities is particularly valuable.
Some schools also offer co-op opportunities, such as many majors at&nbspSeneca College. Co-op is the abbreviation of Co-operative Education, which means that in addition to classroom study, students also spend a certain amount of time in actual work placements provided by co-op employers to help students accumulate work experience, usually substituting learning with practical work.

》》 Whether to return to China for work after graduation

Although "plans always fall behind changes," if you had made early plans to return home for employment after graduation before even coming to studying abroad, this idea will play a major role in helping you decide on a major.

》》 Popularity of the school:

Needless to say, many parents and students are most concerned about the reputation or ranking of the university. The first question they ask tends not to be "I am interested in a certain major, which school is better?" but instead, "Can I get into a certain college/university?" Only after verifying that they can apply to the school, would they decide on the major.

》》 Prospects after graduation

For most people, it is unrealistic to go to college without considering employment prospects.

After considering these factors, you will be able to choose a major without regrets.
 
 
Combining the years of experience of our senior education consultants, the following are the majors recommended by UtoCanada for girls studying in Canada.

Early childhood education (suitable for those who want to stay and develop their career in Canada)

Due to the strict government regulatory system, the Canadian early education industry is very different from China’s. In Canada, being a kindergarten teacher is not only a respectable job, but also easy to be employed, and with good salary (starting $30,000-50,000CAD after graduation). In contrast, many kindergartens in China are more relaxed with hiring teachers. That means for Canada, becoming a kindergarten teacher is not such an easy task. In addition to obtaining at least a diploma from CEC, you also need to have a clean criminal record plus various documents to apply.
Let’s be reminded thatcaring for children is tiring work.If you are really interested in this major, you can volunteer at a daycare near your home before choosing this major, and carefully observe a day's work. After doing this, if you still like it, you can consider choosing this major. If you realize that the job is not what you expected, choose another major.
Reference:Employment prospects for ECE preschool education in Canada

Graphic Design

The rapid rise of the e-commerce and digital marketing industries in recent years has largely driven the development of graphic design. Companies, large and small, have gradually realized the importance of a good designer.
If you like drawing or designing things, and think you are creative, then the graphic design industry may be for you.
Along with the progress of our age and the development of our society, contemporary graphic design covers a wide range of work, including commercial environmental design, visual design, fashion design, industrial product design, illustration, advertising, editorial design, packaging and decoration design, logo design, corporate branding, and web design.
Therefore, the content and emphasis offered in the programs of each university is very different. If you want to enter the advertising industry in the future, it is best to choose a graphic design major that covers additional courses, such as marketing, customer analysis, copywriting, media theory, etc. If you want to work in new or interactive media in the future, then select courses such as story board, computer language script, sound editing, and interface design. If your career is in the direction of planning and strategic development, then you also need to choose a graphic design major covering related courses, such as team-based problem solving, system analysis, business writing, management, communication, and information theory.
Please be reminded that when you graduate and start to find a job, most employers will ask to see your Portfolio. Therefore, I suggest that during school, try to do some volunteer work, pick up some small private jobs online/offline (from places likes Fiverr.com and Upwork.com), and publish all your works on your own website or portfolio (on platforms such as Dribbble.com).
Reference:Employment prospects for graphic design students in Canada

Nursing major (suitable for those who want to stay and develop a career in Canada)

Because the medical care industry is one that is most affected by "Brain Drain." The nursing profession is a very tiring job, but it is respected, and has a high starting salary. This profession has been in high demand for many years, so there is no worrying about employment. Plus, the overtime pay is very high.
Of course, the nursing profession we are talking about here is different from the Personal Support Worker (PSW), which only requires a few months of training. Therefore, a PSW’s duties tend to be more limited, and the skills requirements for them are relatively low. In general, they are mainly responsible for daily tasks, such as cleaning the ward and bathing the patients. The salary is also relatively lower, and there is not much room for development.
In contrast, the graduates of nursing majors are different. After they are employed, they are divided intoRN, RPN, and PN categories.

  • RPN–Registered Practical Nurse:Graduates who have completed 2 to 3 years of nursing school can become an RPN. Their job usually consists of observation of patients with diseases, and allocation and management of nurses who make injections and provide medicines; but Registered Nurses have more rights and responsibilities than Registered Practical Nurses, so the salary is also higher;
  • RN–Registered Nurse:Graduates of nursing majors in Canadian universities are eligible to become Registered Nurses, with a salary of about 40,000 to 50,000 per year
  • PN–Practical Nurse:If it is a full-time job after graduation, a Practical Nurse’s annual salary is more than $30,000. A Registered Nurse has a greater chance of upward mobility. If one is promoted to Nurse Practitioner (qualified to diagnose and provide simple prescriptions), then the salary can reach over $100,000.

Reference:

Accounting major (suitable for those who want to stay and develop a career in Canada)

Accounting is also considered a technical job. Whether in China or the western countries, the financial office staff of major companies is mostly female. Many people would say, "Which company does not need an accountant?" Also, it is a decent job, so the number of people coming to Canada to study accounting is still very high.
It is worth mentioning that the top private high schools&nbspmany people on the Internet are complaining about accounting major&nbsp(including myself). Themain complaintis that it is very difficult to find a job right after graduation. For those who say, "Which company does not need an accountant?" they often forget that a company's finances are very confidential and important matters. So, the real question is, who wants to hire a new graduate who does not even have a CPA to do the job? The reality is that language and work experience are the biggest obstacles for accounting graduates to find their first job. For specific information,Reference:Employment prospects of Canadian accounting majors.

Law-related majors (suitable for those who want to stay and develop a career in Canada)

Doing legal work, especially as a senior legal assistant, legal assistant or paralegal, the language requirements are not as high as you would probably think.
As stated by a Canadian legal with internship experience:：

"With over a year of working experience in a law firm, I came to realize that first, it is really not difficult to be a lawyer in Canada compared to China. I say this because the developed legal and political system and its improvements allows for most of the work of lawyers be completed while sitting in the office. Whether it is forensics, evidence collection, contacting parties, mediation, or consultation, most of these tasks can be performed through phone, e-mail and letters. In most cases, with as little as a phone call, you request for the information you need from various institutions. All you need to provide is your own name, law firm, the name of your client, and their basic information. When thinking about my work experience in China, most of the work requires visits to different departments by my assistant or myself. We had to provide our identification documents, original authorization documents of the client, and a letter of reference from the firm. Despite of all the documentation provided, there would be little to no cooperation from the investigators or organizations most of the time. I often feel relieved that being a legal assistant is pretty easy in Canada. I have never run around because for the needs of my work. My daily duties are to call, send emails, write letters, read and organize customer information. This is purely simple office work."

Business majors (except Accounting)

If you have returned to China after graduation, other majors in business can also be considered (and it is best to go to a reputatble university).
In Canada, business is generally referred to as a broad category, which contains many majors, such as marketing, finance, human resource management, risk analysis, business management, project management, logistics and risk management.
Many people say that business majors are "multifunctional" because it seems that these students can choose to "do anything" after graduation, but the reality is often "not being able to do anything." Because management is a "generalist" subject, in most cases, experience and qualifications are required to get hired, but some companies generally recruit new graduates in the entry level of operational work, while "specialists" are more preferred.
In Canada, many business graduates have entered positions in banks, starting from the bottom, working as a teller. New graduates can generally get an annual salary of about 30,000.
Reference:

Stomatology (for those who want to stay and develop a career in Canada)

After graduating from this major, you can work as a dental assistant or a dental hygienist. It can be considered a relatively unpopular major, but it is easy to find employment, with a high starting salary.
The responsibilities of the dental assistant are mainly to assist the dentist in diagnosing and treating the patients. The work includes preparing of equipment and materials, sterilizing, taking radiographs, making dental molds, etc. At the same time, they are in charge of instructing the patient on how to maintain oral hygiene and health. For dental hygenists, in addition to cleaning teeth and polishing, the work also includes taking X-ray photos, understanding the patient's personal records, medical history, and providing dental health education.
The two jobs of the dental assistant and the dental hygienist differ greatly in terms of salary and treatment. Data from Statistics Canada show that the average wage of a dental assistant is $16.51 per hour. The work is usually full-time, and the working environment is good, with regular hours, and good benefits. On the other hand, the average wage of dental hygienists is much higher, starting at $35 per hour, and even up to $40 per hour in Vancouver. Dental hygienists generally start working part time, and there is a high probability of finding a full-time job with full benefits three years later. Of course, dental hygienists generally choose to work at two different part-time positions at the same time, to ensure that they have 35-40 working hours a week, and have the freedom to choose their working times.

How do girls choose majors – Summary

When choosing a major in Canada, girls and boys will consider factors such as interest, employment prospects, school, immigration and other factors. Undoubtedly, the consideration of employment prospects is the most important factor for most people.
What we need to remember is that there are always some graduates, even those who selected majors with high employability, still find it difficult to get a job. Conversely, any major that is considered difficult to find a job will always have graduates who can. Therefore, no matter what major you choose, it is particularly important to gain relevant work experience, improve your soft skills, and expand your network in this field during your study.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that if you can determine as early as possible, whether you will immigrate to Canada or return to your home country after graduation, you will be have a clearer sense of direction when choosing a major.
 
Reference article: